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Although a Jedi’s greatness does not derive from his combat ability, some threats to peace and justice can only be met with martial force. While all Jedi receive some training in combat, a few make fighting the central focus of their union with the Force. These Jedi are weapon masters, adepts of various styles of melee combat.

The best Jedi Weapon Masters choose their martial path early, dedicating years to perfecting one form of combat. Such Jedi are not especially violent or angry, for all Jedi know that such attitudes lead to the path to the dark side. Instead, they have simply found that they are closest to the Force when practicing and perfecting a particular style of combat.

Jedi Weapon Masters were most common during the time period described in Tales of the Jedi, when violence was frequently a way of life. As the Republic became more settled and less dangerous, Jedi Weapon Masters grew less common, though some Jedi always focused on combat more than their kindred did.

Deflect (Defense)
A Jedi learns to deflect blaster bolts and other projectiles with his lightsaber, thereby providing a dodge bonus to Defense against such attacks. You must be carrying an active lightsaber to use this special ability.

Deflecting an attack is a reaction that costs the Jedi a move action in his next round. The Jedi must indicate he is using Deflect (Defense) when an opponent declares an attack against him, but before any attack rolls are made. When used in this fashion, the Jedi gains the dodge bonus against all ranged attacks directed at him in the round.

For example, if Sen Udo-Mal uses his activated lightsaber to deflect any number of blaster attacks in round three of combat, in round four Sen Udo-mal loses a move action to account for the effort expended to deflect the attacks in round three.

Each time the Jedi gains Deflect (Defense), it provides a +1 dodge bonus to Defense when he uses his lightsaber to block ranged attacks.

Deflect (Defense) can be used in conjunction with total defense for even greater protection, providing the dodge bonus for deflecting the attack and the +4 dodge bonus granted by using total defense. In this case, Deflect (Defense) isn’t a reaction; it’s an attack action used in a round when the Jedi expects to come under heavy fire.

Increase Weapon Damage
A Jedi Weapon Master learns to deal additional damage with particular types of melee weapons. At 2nd, 5th, and 9th level, a weapon master gains the ability to deal an additional +1d8 points of damage with any one type of melee weapon with which he is proficient. It is possible to select the same type of weapon more than once, gaining an additional 1d8 each time. A Jedi Weapon Master may select the lightsaber or any other melee weapon, including unarmed attacks (if the Jedi Weapon Master has the Martial Arts feat).

Deflect (Attack)
A Jedi learns to deflect blaster bolts with his lightsaber to redirect the attack towards a target within one range increment of the Jedi’s position. (The type of blaster determines the range increment.) You must be carrying an activated lightsaber to use this special ability.

Deflecting and redirecting an attack is a reaction that cost the Jedi a move action in his next round. The Jedi must indicate that his is using his Deflect (Attack) when an opponent declares an attack against him but before any attack rolls are made. Deflect (Defense) and Deflect (Attack) can be used together in the same round (though the Jedi can decide not to use the defense if he wants a better chance of redirecting the incoming attack).

The Jedi can deflect and redirect a number of attacks equal to one-half his Jedi level, rounded up. The redirected attack must miss the Jedi by 5 or less; any attack that hits the Jedi or misses by 6 or more points can’t be redirected.

If the Jedi can redirect the attack, the Jedi immediately rolls an attack roll using his lightsaber attack bonus and applying a – 4 penalty as described below. If this roll is high enough to hit the target, the redirected attack deals damage to the target (the type of blaster determines the damage dealt by a redirected attack).

Each time the Jedi gains Deflect (Attack), the penalty associated with the redirected attack is lessened by 1.

Weapon Mastery
At 3rd, 5th, and 10th level, a Jedi Weapon Master gains one of the special weapon master abilities detailed below. Each ability applies to a specific type of melee weapon selected when the ability is chosen. Each ability may be taken multiple times, but it must apply to a different type of weapon each time it is selected.

Devastating Strike: With this ability, a Jedi Weapon Master can make an attack with an increased chance of scoring a critical hit. This ability can be used a number of times each day equal to the character’s Jedi level. The use of Devastating Strike must be announced before any attack rolls are made. The threat range of the weapon making a Devastating Strike is doubled. For example, a lightsaber usually threatens a critical on 19-20 (two numbers). When making a Devastating Strike, the lightsaber threatens a critical strike on 17-20 (four numbers). Making a Devastating Strike is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. This ability does not stack with the Elite Trooper’s deadly strike.

Martial Arts Kata: Once per day, when a Jedi Weapon Master uses his selected melee weapon to make a full attack against a single target, he gains an additional unarmed attack against the same target. This unarmed attack uses the Jedi Weapon Master’s highest attack bonus and deals his normal unarmed damage.

Alternatively, this unarmed attack can be used to perform a disarm or trip attack. If used to disarm, the attack gains a +4 competence bonus on attack rolls. If used for a trip attack, a failed trip attempt does not allow the target to automatically attempt to rip the Jedi in return.

Rapid Strike: With this ability, a Jedi Weapon Master can make an additional attack with the selected melee weapon each round at his highest attack bonus. However, both the additional attack and all other attacks the Jedi Weapon Master makes in that round take a -2 penalty.

Superior Weapon Focus: With this ability, a Jedi Weapon Master gains a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls with his selected melee weapon. This attack bonus stacks with any other attack bonuses he may have, including bonuses form the Weapon Focus feat.

Weapon Specialization: Weapon Specialization adds a +2 competence bonus on damage rolls with a chosen type of weapon. The Jedi Weapon Master must have Weapon Focus with that melee weapon type to take Weapon Specialization.

Deflect (Extended Defense and Attack)
At 6th level, a Jedi Weapon Master learns to extend his defensive and offensive deflection skills to others whining 2 meters of the Jedi’s position. You must be carrying an active lightsaber to use this special ability.

Now the Jedi can provide a dodge bonus to anyone within 2 meters of his position, and he can deflect and redirect ranged attacks made against anyone within 2 meters of his position. All the rules associated with Deflect (Defense) and Deflect (Attack) apply; the only difference is that now the Jedi can extend this ability to help those nearby.

Block
This is a modified version of deflect that allows the Jedi to deflect a ranged attack without the use of a lightsaber. If the Jedi does not have some sort of protective gear (such as an armored gauntlet), or an item that can withstand the ranged attack (such as an energy shield or suitably dense material), the Jedi must spend a Force Point to use this ability. (Force Points spent in this way do not add the usual bonus dice to d20 rolls that the Jedi makes in the subsequent round.) Block doesn't allow the Jedi to extend the defense beyond the Jedi's position, and all other rules concerning deflect (defense) and deflect (attack) apply. A Jedi gains this ability when they gain Deflect (Defense) at +2.